Iron Mountain ski jump

Saturday, May 28, 2016

REVISITING IN THE GARDEN

My Academy of Parish
Clergy buddy, Suzanne Schaefer-Coates, is the pastor of a retirement community.
She responded to my column about the hymn, “In the Garden.”

Suz herself is sort of
neutral about “In the Garden.” Neither likes it nor dislikes it. Not so with
her congregation. She says it is by far the most popular religious song with
those old folks.

Part of that popularity is
because it was a part of our soundtrack when we were young, recorded by Roy
Rogers and Dale Evans, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Perry Como, and even Elvis.

Feelings are much more
powerful than ideas. That is why music in general is so powerful. It brings up
feelings.

Suz says that even though
she carries no water for “In the Garden,” and even though she is about 20 years
younger than those in her congregation, she “gets it,” why it is so popular
with her people. They aren’t trying to be exclusive, to say “none other” in a
way that leaves out everyone else. But in a world where old people are the ones
so often left out, it’s comforting to know that someone WANTS to be with them.
That’s a powerful feeling.

JRMcF

johnrobertmcfarland@gmail.com

I tweet as yooper1721.

THE STRANGE CALLING, is sort of a memoir, a collection of stories from my
ministry. When I first felt I was being “called” by God to be a preacher, the
ministry was known as “the high calling.” In my experience, it seemed more like
a strange calling. You can get it from the publisher, Smyth&Helwys, or lots
of places on the web, including Amazon, B&N, etc.